Off Limits
by krissyg927
Summary: Merle had been looking after Carol for a while now as a surrogate older brother. Things are about to get very interesting because his real brother just came back to town. This is a joint effort with my ff bff Magenta's Nightmare. AU no ZA. Caryl.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is a joint story with my FF BFF Magenta's Nightmare, we have been working together on this story for a few weeks and it is complete. We hope you enjoy it and please let us know what you think._**

Today was going to be a good day. Merle was up early, as usual but this morning he had more of a smile on his face. Last night he received a text from his brother that he was coming home for a while. They hadn't seen each other in over a year and Daryl was Merle's only family. He was more than happy at the prospect of seeing his younger brother after such a long absence.

He missed Daryl, and he never seemed to stay long enough for Merle. He said something about his tour being over for a while. That would be great news. They had lived separate lives for such a long time and Merle sometimes wished for their childhood. They spent so much time together hunting and fishing as kids, but Daryl joined the Coast Guard when he was nineteen. Since then his visits had been sporadic and short.

Merle had his friends and actually he had a close relationship with his secretary Carol. She was seven years younger than him a year older than Daryl. He had people in his life but he missed his brother. He had a girlfriend that he adored, but Daryl was his blood.

Carol had come to work for him last summer and she had been a godsend, straightening out his office after his last secretary ditched. They formed a very strong bond very quickly and he loved her like a sister. A younger sister who needed to be protected from this world and all the crazy in it.

Carol was a sweet little thing with auburn hair and blue eyes, cute as a button, but not Merle's taste and a good thing too. He knew better, you don't shit where you eat and he had no desire to lose the best secretary he had ever had over a roll in the hay, no thank you.

Not that he would ever think of her that way, and nobody else better think of her that way either.

Carol had been newly divorced when she first came to work for him and her ex came around one time threatening her. Merle let him know he was not welcome and he wasn't welcome to bother Carol ever again. As far as Merle knew he had instilled the fear of god into the man, because Carol had said he never came back or called again.

Daryl had been away on the job for a long time. The leave from the coast guard came at just the right time. It was summer time and he could use Daryl's help to run the crew, consisting of Axel, Martinez and Oscar. Glenn Rhee ran his other crew of Tyreese, Theodore and the kid Zach.

He was close to firing Zach though, if he didn't stop eye fucking Carol. Merle already told him twice, she is off limits and Zach was not hearing it at all.

Glenn even said something to him, and the kid didn't listen to him either.

Carol had become like his surrogate little sister and Merle looked out for her as such, no one was allowed to go near her.

Zach was going to lose his job and it was a shame. He was a good worker, but nobody was allowed near her and Merle didn't care who it was.

She was still trying to get over her awful marriage and had just started to get back into the dating scene. That must be a nightmare too, but she was young, just turning thirty, too young to give up. Merle would be happy to screen her dates for her, but she declined nicely.

Merle Dixon would scare all the men away she knew.

But these assholes around here all knew better. Merle would personally kick the ass of any man who even looked at her cross eyed.

He walked in the office that morning whistling and Carol handed him his coffee right away as he sat down at his desk opposite hers. He had plans all over it for the job they were doing right now.

They were right now situated in a trailer outside the mall that was being built. Merle was doing it all, with the help of his two crews.

He needed his brother here like yesterday.

"Morning boss." Carol said.

"Mornin sugar, how was that date you went on last night."

She shook her head and gave him the thumbs down.

"Ah, sorry honey, one day you'll meet the right one, don't you worry."

She nodded. "I know Merle but it's so disappointing sometimes, maybe I'm just going to be alone forever."

"No you won't, you're too pretty, you just haven't met someone you click with yet." Merle said sipping his coffee. "It's gonna happen when it's meant to happen."

Carol always made his coffee perfectly and had it ready when he walked in every morning. He knew she came in ten minutes early just to do that for him. He planned on giving her a nice Christmas bonus for doing that.

He never wanted to lose her. She was the best of both worlds, a woman that doted on him that he didn't have to worry about impressing.

"Well, there was definitely no click last night, he wanted to split the check and he didn't like to share. I liked what I ordered but his looked good too." She said.

"What a douche." Merle said.

"So Martinez was just here with the plans for the fountain, he was trying to track down the plumbers and electricians because you all can't do your part till they get done."

"And." Merle said, wondering what she came up with.

"I told him to go prep the area so that you can just lay the concrete when the plumbers get their stuff done and you don't have to wait for the electricians, if they aren't done, they can wait on you."

Merle sat back and looked at her. "What did I ever do without you Carol?"

"You struggled and you drank crappy coffee." She said smiling at him and passing over Martinez's work order.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: This is a multi-chapter in case anyone was confused, when I said it was complete, I meant that Magenta and I finished it before we decided to post. Not the random update on the fly I usually do because my life gets in the way of my writing sometimes. There will be daily updates or every other day updates. This is not a one shot._**

 ** _Showers pounding out a new beat, I trade my old shoes for new feet._**

 ** _My Number-by Tegan and Sara_**

Daryl stood outside the airport terminal leaning against the side of the building with one foot against the wall behind him. His bags were at his feet, which consisted of a duffle bag and a back pack. He lit a cigarette with his zippo and waited for Merle.

Having his feet on dry land again was strange.

But he was glad to be home and glad to be seeing his brother again, he had been gone a good long while. The last time he had the opportunity for leave he had declined, preferring instead to continue on and now he had been gone over a year.

Daryl had been in the Guard since he was nineteen, trying to get out of the house just like Merle had done with the Army. The difference was, Merle did his four years and didn't re-enlist. Daryl did, and he had over ten years in, he could retire. If he so chose, but he didn't, he really knew no other life now.

But there were a few things missing from that life that he would be glad to have on dry land, like cheeseburgers and women. Not in that order.

It would be easier to get the cheeseburger first he supposed, but he hadn't been laid in months.

He threw down the cigarette as he saw Merle's car pulling up at the curb and he pushed himself off the wall and headed to the car, lugging his bags behind him.

Merle and Daryl didn't hug, a throwback from when they were kids and their old man saw affection as weakness. They nodded to each other as Dixon men had been doing for centuries, probably.

The old man had been in the ground a long time, their mother before him, but some things never left you.

As they drove Merle talked about his girlfriend Tammy, who Daryl had met via skype only and now would be sleeping in the guest room of their house. Merle and Tammy had been together a while and Daryl was happy for his brother. Maybe someday it would happen for him, but he wasn't holding his breath.

He was bad luck in that department, he knew.

Merle also was telling Daryl about his new secretary, who was a friend of Tammy's and according to Merle was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Merle didn't know what he ever did without her and she was just a princess among women.

Merle made point of turning to Daryl, though and telling him, "Don't even think about it, she is off limits to you." Which made Daryl wonder what the hell was so special about this girl. Usually Merle was the exact opposite, always wanting to introduce him to girls and get him laid.

He was a regular cockblocker over this one, and he just made her all the more interesting to Daryl now. Just his luck too, they were on the way to the office where this princess was right now. Probably making this award winning coffee Merle was going on about.

/

Carol was sitting at her desk eating her lunch when the phone rang. She answered it in the usual manner.

"Dixon Construction this is Carol, how may I help you?"

"It's me." She smiled when she heard Tammy's voice. Tammy was probably the best friend she had in this world.

Or she was on her way to being, Carol didn't let people in easily, but it was changing slowly. She belonged to a book club, which was where she met the guy who wouldn't share dinner with her. She started running again and making a life now that she was free of Ed.

Tammy was a big part of it and she cherished the friendship they were building.

"Hey, Tammy what's up?" She said sipping her soda.

"Hey Carol, how are you?"

"Awesome, you?" She answered.

"Just fine sweetie, I know Merle isn't there and he isn't picking up his cell, but could you let him know I talked to Sasha about next Saturday."

"Sure, but what's next Saturday."

"He was supposed to tell you, that man, I tell you, he would forget his name if it wasn't on his work shirt."

Carol laughed at this because it was so true. Merle was a great employer and friend, but he needed these two women to run his life or he would be lost.

"He got the contract on that new building down town, it means he's going to be doing all the city work now, and this is a big thing for him."

"Oh, I know, he has been talking about it all spring when he was putting in his bids."

"Well, he got it and he's taking us all out next Saturday, to Sasha and Bobs Tavern, he rented the whole place, he's throwing a big shindig." Tammy said. "Oh, god you don't have plans do you, Merle will be crushed."

Carol looked at the calendar, twelve days from now. She had a standing date on Saturday nights with Netflix, she would have to rearrange her busy schedule.

"I think I can cancel my date with Supernatural for one Saturday night." She said laughing.

"Oh, ok. " Tammy said. "Good thing I called then. Can you tell the crew, because they will need time to tell their families, Merle wants the guys to bring their wives too."

"I'll check with Merle, I can send out a mass email to everyone."

"Good idea."

"Hey Tammy?" She said

"Hmm." Tammy hummed into the phone.

"Do you know Merle's brother?"

"Skyped with him and Merle a few times, but I don't know him too well, guess I will though, because he's moving in."

"He's cute, Merle showed me a picture of him the other day."

"Think so? Hmm." Tammy said, her wheels turning now, Merle's little brother already had someone noticing him and he wasn't even here yet.

"Hmm what?"

"Nothing." She said. "Nothing at all."

"Oh, I think they're here, I'll have Merle call you in a bit ok?"

"That's fine sweetie, take care now."

Carol hung up the phone just as Merle and Daryl were walking in the door.

/

Daryl walked through the door and he would be a liar if he said the air didn't change in that room the minute he laid eyes on this girl. Of course his brother would warn him off the prettiest girl he had seen in fourteen months. She was just his age and just his type.

He didn't go for blondes, he liked girls with dark hair and hers was dark red and long and pretty. He could see his fingers running through her hair.

Merle had even said it again just before they pulled up as if he didn't hear him the first time. The message was crystal clear, do not touch.

Fuck if he didn't want to touch.

A/N: Please let us know what you think, this was so much fun to do together and maybe we will collaborate again. Thanks for all the love from Magenta and I.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: So sorry I had a fight with the format monster and lost. Please excuse that mess. Thank you to everyone who has left us love. We love you.**_

Starting over hadn't been easy, Carol was afraid of being with Ed and afraid of what it meant to leave. When she finally made the move to get out of the relationship she knew he wouldn't take it lying down.

Being married to Ed had been a nightmare. Only three years and she couldn't have taken one more day after what happened.

It began so insidiously and gradual that by the time he was hitting her regularly it seemed almost normal.

She had been that woman who said it would be a cold day in hell before she'd stand for a man pushing her around but there it was. Her parents told her he was no good for her but she was determined, in the beginning, to prove they were wrong.

One lie piled on top of another and soon she was making excuses for him so often she could hardly remember the truth.

Ed was the kind of man who got angry over almost everything but mainly it was control. Whenever she didn't do as he wished or he was jealous it was her fault and she'd pay for it.

Her wake up call came the last time he laid his hands on her and choked her till she passed out.

The moment he left the house the next morning she took a cab to the women's shelter and never looked back. The woman she spoke to that first night listened to everything she'd been through and made her feel safe. Tammy became a good friend very quickly and Carol wondered in the beginning if it was just a professional concern. Soon they were going for coffee and spending time together, it did Carol good to have a friend who understood what she'd been through. Being married to Ed had isolated her from her old friends who quickly got tired of being anywhere near him and all the tension.

Tammy helped her find her current job and it had been a Godsend. Merle was Tammy's boyfriend and Tammy told her she'd be safe there and she was right.

The one time Ed showed up at her work, during the divorce proceedings, trying to threaten her out of following through Merle put his foot down firmly.

"It's really simple, Ed! You don't call her, you don't come near her and if you can help it, don't even think about her! It's over! If you pursue this, it'll become my concern and trust me you don't want that!"

"This is between me and my wife!" Ed had argued. Carol was humiliated to have this happen at work, she wished he'd just give up and leave her alone.

Merle came to stand between them and looked down at Ed.

"There nothing between you and her anymore, understand?" Merle's voice was such a low growl that it gave her the chills. He really meant it and one look at Ed's face proved he could hear it too.

Ed had backed down then and she hadn't seen anymore of him since. Living in the same city, she was hoping it was over but could never be sure.

By now, a year later, she was comfortable in her job and Merle was like the big brother she could have used all along.

He had just come in the office for the day and she had saved him with her quick thinking and fantastic coffee for the hundredth time.

"I'm gonna have to leave early today, darlin'."

She found it amusing how he'd almost run it past her when he left early when he was the boss.

"OK, what's up?"

"Gotta pick up my brother at the airport at noon. Maybe I'll bring him by, you'd get a kick out of it. He looks nothing like me."

"Brother?"

"Yeah, didn't I mention that? He's been away with the coast guard for the last year. He's on leave so he's gonna help me out."

"No, you never mentioned him."

She kept working, thinking nothing of it.

"Huh, that's weird I thought I did. Check it out," he said, fishing through his wallet for a picture.

He handed the photo over and she looked down at it. It was a man with sandy brown hair in a coast guard uniform looking very serious. She couldn't help getting a little wide eyed, he was very good looking. Merle was right, though, they really looked nothing alike. Merle was handsome but in a completely different way. His clean cut looking brother in the uniform didn't even look related.

"Wow, he's pretty cute!" she joked.

"Don't even think about that! This guy is relationship poison, keep lookin'."

She laughed and shook her head returning to her work and handing him back the photo.

"He's gonna be helping out around here so add him to the payroll if you don't mind."

"No problem, I'll just need his information."

"He's staying with me and you know my address, his name's Daryl. What else do you need?"

"It's OK, I'll get him to fill out a form when he gets here. It's just bank info and social insurance number, that kind of thing."

"OK, better get busy."

Merle went off the work and she got busy with her morning paperwork.

By 1:30 in the afternoon Merle showed up with his brother to fill out the paperwork.

Carol had to rush off the phone with Tammy and her mind went completely blank.

He looked better than the picture somehow. He had dark jeans and a band t shirt on. His short hair was a little scruffy and he walked in with his head held high like he owned the place.

"Carol! This is my baby brother, Daryl."

She stood up at her desk and wasn't sure if she should just say hi or shake his hand but he answered the question for her.

He held his hand out to her and she automatically reciprocated. He had a firm handshake and when she went to speak her voice failed her on the first attempt.

She cleared her throat.

"Sorry about that, nice to meet you. I'm Carol."

"Daryl," he answered, smiling widely.

He had an air about him that she found interesting right away, he was confident but friendly.

"So you're stuck working with my brother everyday? Poor girl."

She hadn't been called girl in years, it felt pretty strange.

"Merle is pretty good and he needs me for my good coffee."

He laughed and nodded at her.

"She's got some paper work for you to fill out if you want to get paid."

"No problem," Daryl answered, walking over to her desk.

"I'll be out talking with the crew for a bit," Merle said, heading out the door.

She hoped her hands wouldn't shake, she got nervous around attractive people. It was a curse.

She handed him the papers, paper clipped together and a pen.

"I'll just need to photocopy your driver's license if that's OK."

"Yeah," he said, reaching into the back pocket of his jeans. His arms were muscular and tanned, he'd obviously been spending a lot of time outdoors lately.

He handed over the license and she turned to go photocopy it. She realized he had nowhere to sit and was leaning over the desk and writing.

"Please, sit in my chair to fill that out."

"Thanks."

She went to the copy room and lay his license down on the glass and copied it... twice.

This man had the best looking driver's license photo she'd ever seen and just maybe she might want to look at it later.

She felt like a criminal folding the second copy and stuffing it in the pocket of her blazer. She couldn't quite tell what had come over her but he was the first person she had looked a twice since her divorce. She was starting to wonder of she'd ever find another man attractive but the answer was clearly yes. The only problem was Merle didn't seem to like the idea at all.

When she returned to her desk he was still writing and she stood watching him, with a wolf's grin she couldn't seem to wipe from her lips.

 _ **A/N: Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. We had so much fun writing it. Also the tags got messed up. This is a Caryl story. But we both love Merle and would never forget him. He will get his time in the spotlight too.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl woke up a little confused where he was until he heard Merle and Tammy chatting in the kitchen. He picked up his phone and shuddered at the time, 7am and it was only his first day in town.

He got up out of bed and staggered into the kitchen in his boxers and t shirt.

"Good morning," Tammy said, cheerily.

Both she and Merle were dressed and ready for the day.

"You tired still? You wanna take a day to adjust?" Merle suggested.

Daryl thought it sounded like a hell of an idea until he remembered the pretty girl in the office.

He had been told to steer clear but Merle would have to give him a damn good reason to keep away from her.

"Nah, I'm good. Just need a coffee."

He scratched his ass, forgetting for a second he wasn't around only men and wandered back into his room to get dressed.

"I'm gonna go clear out my work truck, babe. Send him out when he's done," Merle said, kissing Tammy on the cheek.

"Yep."

Daryl came out a while later and she offered him a muffin and bagged lunch, just like she had made for Merle.

"He's out at the truck whenever you're ready."

"Thanks a lot," he said, sitting down at the table to eat the muffin but he'd never tasted anything like it and not in a good way.

"What is this?" he asked, trying not to sound like a dick but he was genuinely curious.

"Uh, it's gluten free. Don't you like it?" she asked, looking a little hurt.

"Nope, it's great! I love it," he said quickly. He couldn't bare to hurt a woman's feelings, neither could Merle.

He forced himself to finish the muffin with a big smile.

"Do you have any coffee made?"

"No, but Carol will have some down at the office for you. Her coffee is better anyway."

He grabbed some orange juice to wash down the 'muffin' and went outside to have a smoke and meet Merle.

The drive to work was just friendly chit chat and bullshitting between brothers. Merle was glad to have him back.

"You're gonna need to pick up a brass-in card with Carol at the office and have a cup of coffee. I gotta have a safety meeting with the crew anyway."

"Yeah right," Daryl answered, "nobody moves, nobody gets hurt, right?"

"You know it!" Merle laughed and headed over to the crew's trailer.

Daryl tossed his second cigarette of the morning on the ground and checked his pockets for some gum or something but found none.

"Hi," he said, walking in and approaching her desk.

She had on a black skirt and a blue top, she looked pretty and her red hair was up in a loose bun. He could get used to seeing her every morning.

"Hi, Daryl," she replied, looking up from her typing, "What can I do for you?"

"Merle says I need a brass-in card."

"Oh, of course. Just a moment."

She left the room to get a card and machine to program it.

"Do you have a moment? I can get you a coffee, unless you've had one already," she offered.

"Thanks, that'd be great."

She walked over to the coffee maker and reached up over her head to the shelf where they kept take out coffee cups. She stretched high on the tips of her toes and he stared openly at the back side of her, she was gorgeous.

"How do you like it, Daryl?"

"Huh?"

She giggled, "How do you take your coffee?"

"Uh...just cream, thanks."

She opened the mini fridge and grabbed the cream and then offered him the finished cup.

She worked on programming the brass-in card so he could clock his hours just by swiping it, all employees had one.

He took a sip and it was definitely the best coffee he'd ever had.

"What kind of coffee is this?"

"Just normal coffee. Do you like it?" she grinned.

"I love it, how do you make it taste like this?"

"That's a closely guarded secret," she teased, handing him the card.

"I'll get it out of you," he answered, confidently. He was hoping to get more from her than her coffee secret.

Every time Carol turned around he was there and she liked it. The first day when she left he had been standing near her car having a smoke, like he was waiting for her.

"So, you going to that thing at Bob and Sasha's? he inquired.

She peeled her blazer from her shoulders and tossed it in the backseat, remembering she really should take his photocopied license out before he saw it.

"Yeah, you?" she asked

"Yep. You gonna make me more of that coffee in the morning?"

"Uh huh."

She liked the playful banter between them already. Carol hadn't had fun with a man in ages, and she had a feeling he could be a lot of fun.

Merle and the crew, including Daryl were all very busy during the first week and a half he was there but she could be assured he'd stop by for no good reason whenever he could.

#####################

Merle was spending the evening working on construction plans and making one phone call after the other. The party was only days away and he had a lot of work to catch up on before he could relax. Daryl felt like lounging around so he and Tammy sat on the couch watching TV in their sweats.

"So what's the deal with Carol?"

"How do you mean?" Tammy asked, not turning to look at him and still staring at the TV.

"Why's Merle so testy about her?"

Daryl had been working on getting her attention now all week and with some success. She had a cute smile and her face lit up a little when he'd show up. He had a feeling she felt it too, there was something there for sure.

"He's just protective of her, it's kind of a long story."

"Let's hear it."

Tammy was swift on the uptake and she knew why he was asking so many questions.

"I guess it would be good for you to know if you two are going to be friends or whatever. Please, keep it quiet though," she warned.

"Cross my heart."

"A little over a year ago Carol turned up at the shelter where I work, that's how I met her. She is divorced now but she left an abusive marriage. I introduced her to Merle and she's worked there ever since."

"Seriously?" It scared him a little, the idea of getting involved with a woman who had so much in her past. He knew it was cowardly to shy away from it. It certainly wasn't her fault but it sounded like something he wouldn't know how to deal with.

"She's really special to Merle and to me. He just wants to watch out for her like he's her dad or something, like nobody is good enough. It's kinda cute but he has to learn to let go a little," Tammy laughed.

The next morning Carol hardly saw Daryl at all. It was almost 4 and she had only seen him in the morning when he came in for a cup of coffee and even then he'd been quiet and smiled less. She started to wrap up her work for the day but kept looking up at the door occasionally. Carol wondered what had changed.

By 5pm she headed out to her car and said goodbye to Merle. She had no idea where Daryl was but felt awkward asking. Carol went for a long run to clear her mind in the park near her apartment and by the time she got home she felt better from all the endorphins.

Tammy texted just as she got out of the shower and asked if she needed her book back for the book club.

~ yeah, I need it for tomorrow. Can I come grab it?

~sure, come on over.

Carol took longer to get ready than she normally would and she couldn't lie to herself why. She drove over to Tammy's and although she'd been there a hundred times and normally walked right in, she knocked.

Merle answered and held the door open with a puzzled look.

"Since when do you knock?"

"I don't know? You have company now so..."

"Daryl ain't company, he's a pest," Merle laughed.

She found Tammy in the kitchen and sat down to have a chat.

Daryl wandered in looking like he'd kill for a great excuse to be there but just grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Hi," she said with a smile, hoping she'd get one back.

"Hey, Carol," he said. She did get her smile but it felt different. He ended up back in the living room without another word.

She chatted for a bit and decided she must have read the whole thing wrong, maybe it was for the best since he'd only be there a few months.

"Thanks for the book. I better get home now."

"Night, Carol," Tammy said, giving her a short hug, "Remember you said you'd come shopping with me for something to where to this shindig."

"I remember," she assured her and walked out the front door.

Carol got to her car and tossed the book in the back seat. When she looked up he was walking onto the front steps, lighting a smoke.

She stood looking at him for a moment before opening the car door.

"Goodnight, Carol."

She smiled a little sad smile, she had hoped he wanted to talk some more.

"Goodnight."

Daryl felt bad for the way he acted the night before and purposely went in early to see her. Merle was working from home and leaving the foreman in charge for the day, so he took Merle's truck.

Tammy told him Carol was always there eary before everyone else. He did a lot of thinking and it decided he was man enough to deal with her past after all, he liked this girl too much to let it stop him. Maybe he had found a reason to stay put but it was still too soon to know, he was so used to having no ties.

It was still not quite light when he knocked on the trailer door. She was inside making coffee and getting her work in order and she opened the door looking surprised to see him.

"Daryl? You're early today!"

"I need your coffee, you got me hooked."

It wasn't a great line but he wanted to see her smile and it achieved that, at least.

She poured him the first cup of the day and added cream.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Daryl sat next to her on an office chair with wheels and fidgeted.

"Sorry I was acting weird last night."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, everything's great. It was nothing."

He looked up and smiled at her again and she looked relieved.

"I was wondering if I could tag along with you at this work party thing. I don't really know anybody here, unless you're going with someone else."

She wanted to go with him, she wanted to take him home for the night but in a few months he wouldn't be here.  
"Sure, that sounds nice."

"Great," he answered. He looked at her wondering what else he could say to keep her talking to him.

An awkward silence filled the room and she looked into his eyes. There was something between them but with him leaving she was scared to pursue it. Being left with a broken heart didn't sound like fun after the year she'd had.

He could see something in her eyes that was contemplative. She was thinking about it, maybe that was enough. With nobody else around their eyes locked and he felt he was being pulled like a magnet. The stare was held by the both of them for so long he was getting mesmerized by her eyes. Before he knew what the hell he was doing he leaned in to kiss her.

"Wait," she said, laying her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry...I just thought-" he began.

"It's not that I don't want to but...you're leaving aren't you?"

"Yeah, but not for three months or so," he answered.

She looked down at her hands knowing she wanted desperately to kiss him but she'd get burned if she wasn't careful. Sometimes the right thing to do felt so wrong.

"That's the thing, Daryl. I could like you a lot in three months...maybe too much."

"Too much?" he asked, dumbly.

"Too much to not be hurt by you leaving."

This girl was smart, she knew what she wanted and what she didn't. He wanted to make her promises he didn't know if he could keep just so he could kiss her.

"I understand, I'm not trying to make things complicated." He settled on the adult response.

He got up and nodded and even right then she still wanted that kiss. She wished she'd kept her big mouth shut.

He opened the door to the trailer and looked back at her, she looked a little lost.

"Will you still come with me? As friends?"

"Sure."

When he closed the door they both had the exact same thought for completely different reasons.

 ** _What the hell did I just do?_**


	5. Chapter 5

About two days after Carol had her near miss with Daryl, Tammy showed up at the office at closing to take her out shopping. She had almost forgotten because the day had been so hectic, all the guys had been in the office looking for paperwork.

Daryl had been in once with all the others and she could feel his eyes on her the entire time. He had been with Glenn so they didn't talk to each other except to say hello. Carol had been talking to Glenn about the plans he needed. But Daryl was a presence in the room and he filled it up entirely without saying a word.

He came back later though and sat on the edge of her desk drinking a cup of coffee as she typed up the work order he needed. She could tell he was trying to be friendly and not make her feel uncomfortable. But it didn't help too much because all she could look at were his lips, and the promise behind them.

She wished she could be that girl, who could have a fling and forget about it but she wasn't that girl.

Carol would never be that girl.

She almost told him that she didn't want to go to the party with him after all. But she didn't, she would just get through it and never go out with him again.

Merle had certain rules when he took everyone out. His mother was killed by a drunk driver, no one drank and drove after one of his parties.

The tavern was in walking distance to almost everyone's home. They would all walk over together, so there was no way to avoid him anyway.

She was going out with Daryl whether she liked it or not.

Carl was also pretty sure he was trying to look down her shirt from where he was sitting.

Tammy pulled up and Carol said goodbye to Merle and Daryl on the steps of the trailer/office as Merle walked around to the side where Tammy sat and leaned in for a kiss. Carol glanced over her shoulder and Daryl was looking right at her, she met his eyes for a second and then looked away.

Merle slapped his hand on the roof of the car. "Ok, you girls have a good time, see you later darlin." He smiled at Tammy as Carol walked around and got in the passenger seat. She chanced a glance over by Daryl, and he put his hand up in a little wave as Tammy pulled away.

"What was that all about?" Tammy said as she turned to Carol.

"What."

"From where I was sitting, he was looking at you like you were dinner." She waved her hand back and forth fanning herself. "Is it hot in here?"

Tammy laughed as she saw Carol turn beet red.

"Seriously, he had bad intentions Carol, you know the kind of bad intentions that are so good."

"Wonderful." Carol said rolling her eyes. "Just my luck."

"I thought you..."

"He's leaving in three months, I can't do that." Carol said as they sped down the street to go out to dinner and shop. "I told him I would go to Merle's party with him and then I'm shutting it down."

"Whoa, Merle is going to have a stroke."

"Tammy, it's not like that, I mean I didn't let him kiss me or anything."

Tammy swung her head over in Carol's direction. "He tried to kiss you?"

"Well, I was going to let him, but I realized it was not a smart idea."

"Well, somebody better tell him that because, the way he was staring at you. I don't think he got the memo." Tammy laughed as they drove down the road.

/

They went to eat at a vegetarian restaurant which was actually very good. Carol was surprised, she was well aware of Tammy's food preferences and she didn't mind going along with her. She tolerated it much better than Merle, who wouldn't be caught dead in a vegetarian restaurant.

After dinner they went to a funky boutique that was all the rage according to the women in town. It was run by two women named Andrea and Michonne. They had the most delightful assortment of cloths and Tammy found something right away in her favorite color blue. It was a simple shift dress made of silk, with pretty layers going down the front of it.

"Hey how about this one." Tammy called to Carol holding up a red dress that looked three sizes too small.

Carol turned around, she had three hangers with different dresses on them, simple practical dresses. Not like the one Tammy was shoving towards her right now.

"No, no I can't."

"Oh yes you can, get in there and try that dress on."

She handed her the dress and pushed her through the dressing room door. Tammy turned to Andrea who was sitting on a stool organizing jewelry.

"Do you have earrings to match that dress?"

Andrea reached around the display case and came out with red hoop earrings and handed them to Tammy.

"These are the ones I would recommend, my partner Michonne would say the studs but I'm a little showier." Andrea said handing her the earrings.

"Come on Carol, let's see!" Tammy said. "Andrea has earrings to match and oh my god, those shoes."

She walked over to a rack with a pair of black heels, with a little bow on the back of them.

"Well, take the earrings and the shoes, Carol what size shoe are you." Tammy called to her. "Come on let's see."

Carol stepped out and Tammy's face lit up. The dress fit her like it was made for her, it was a soft spandex/cotton blend, and form fitting with a sweet heart neckline, but when she turned around it was backless.

"You look amazing, go look in that mirror." Tammy pointed to the mirror on the other side of the store and she walked towards it, a smile growing on her face as she saw her reflection.

"Tammy I…."

Her voice grew cold, and she broke out in goosebumps she looked across the street and she swore she saw Ed standing against a light post. She shook her head, it couldn't be, and he hadn't been around in months. She had to be imagining it and when she turned back he was gone.

Carol shrugged her shoulders trying to get the eerie feeling to go away. She looked at her reflection in the mirror again. She hadn't treated herself in a long time.

This was not the kind of dress Ed would ever let her buy and so her decision was made.

"Andrea, I'll take it all." She smiled brightly at Tammy.

/

Carol arrived at Merle and Tammy's at five pm as instructed by the boss. She knocked on the door and no one answered, she moved back and forth on her feet feeling tense and anxious for some reason. The door flew open and there stood Daryl in a pair of black jeans and a green button down shirt that was open.

She tried not to look, she really did but she could see his stomach, flat and hard from having to keep in shape for the Guard. She had to actually tell herself in her head not to lick her lips.

"Oh, hey Carol." He said breaking her concentration and forcing her to look up and acknowledge she had been caught. He knew, but he didn't say anything and he didn't tease her.

"Hey Daryl."

"You look….beautiful." He said softly. "Come on in."

She stepped across the threshold of the house and he shut the door. She suddenly realized she was alone with him and it was different than in the office. It felt different and a little unsettling.

"Merle and Tammy went on ahead and I'm ready, Merle said if we aint there in five minutes he's going to come kick my ass." He said buttoning up his shirt. "You know where this place is right?"

She nodded letting out a little giggle as he finished buttoning his shirt and tucking it in. Merle threatening him did not surprise her at all.

"Yeah just over on the next block, you know the old Arrowhead Bar, Merle's friend Bob and his wife bought it."

"Oh, yeah, I do know the place."

Carol laughed because the way he said it sounded like he had spent a little time there in the past. He opened the door and she went out and started down the steps.

"Are you ok to walk Carol, those are some banging shoes." Daryl said.

She turned back looked at him over her shoulder and she couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks." She said and continued walking with a smile on her face.

They walked together making small talk and soon they were at the bar where Daryl had spent a good deal of time in his youth. There was a new name on the front and one of the guys from the neighborhood bought it.

Now it was named simply Bob's Tavern and they had the place for the entire night. They expected a big crowd and between Merle's group of workers and their families the place was going to be packed.

Carol and Daryl talked easily with each other as they walked, about work and books. He read a lot on the ship to pass the time. They both liked Stephen King and had many of the same favorites of his work.

The time it took them to walk to the place went by fast but there was still an underlying question behind their conversation. What if?

They made their way inside and through the crowd Merle and Tammy were near the end of the bar talking to Sasha who was the owner's wife and her friend Karen who were both tending bar. Merle waved to them right away and called them over.

"C'mon you guys are late, got two Irish Car Bombs over here with ya'lls name on it."

They walked over and Carol hugged Tammy whispering to each other how great they looked. Merle and Daryl grabbed their shots and motioned to Carol to pick hers up. She shook her head, it wasn't a good idea for her to do shots.

Tammy picked up hers and clicked it to Merle's.

"Here, just do it." Daryl handed it to her and clicked glasses. "Congrats brother."

They each drank their shot and Carol's face puckered at the taste.

"Oh come on weren't that bad." Merle said. "Karen, four more."

"No, I…"

Tammy turned to Carol. "Hush darling, tonight's the night you get to have some fun, I know you miss Sam and Dean so have another drink to ease the pain."

Merle turned to Daryl. "Who's Sam and Dean?"

"It's a TV show baby, Carol's favorite." Tammy said.

"It's pretty good actually." Daryl said.

Carol turned around to Daryl. "You watch Supernatural?"

He nodded as Karen brought over the four drinks and placed them on the bar. They thanked her and Merle gave her a twenty dollar bill.

"I always make sure I know where the salt is." Daryl said with a wink to Carol.

And Carol broke out into a wide smile, took her drink and drank it down.

The rest of the crew was scattered around the room Tyreese was sitting at the bar talking to Karen when she returned. Glenn and his wife Maggie were sitting at a table with Axel and Oscar and their wives. The music was playing and Merle and Tammy set out to mingle and Carol sat on a barstool.

Daryl remained standing next to her and he took his drink too.

"I bet you're a Dean girl aren't you?" He said to her.

"Nope Sam all the way." She said. "I know most of the fandom is for Dean but Sam is just so lovable, always in his brother's shadow, trying to do the right thing."

She stopped, she could have been talking about Merle and Daryl she realized and she felt like he knew what she was thinking. He was looking at her and his eyes were so crystal blue, Merle had blue eyes too, but Daryl's were beautiful. She felt herself falling into them.

She had to look away.

"So yeah, Sam." She said reaching for a pretzel to put in her mouth so she could stop talking.

/

The food was served to individual tables and at the bar, wherever people were sitting. Carol and Daryl parted ways during the food service because Merle needed him for something. Carol sat with Glenn and Maggie and ate with them. There was wine and Sangria at all of the tables and Glenn made sure she drank along with him and Maggie. It seemed everyone was having a great time and Merle and Tammy took turns walking around and talking to everyone.

Around eight O'clock Carol got up to go to the bathroom, which was in the back of the bar. The music was playing 'Soul to Squeeze' by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and she hummed along as she walked.

"Insanity it seems has got me by my soul to squeeze." She sang softly as she walked.

The hallway was crowded as she made her way to the bathroom and people were bumping into her. When she was almost to the bathroom, someone from behind Daryl who was walking by going in the opposite way bumped into him and he landed on Carol. They ended up pushed into the wall in the alcove by the bathrooms.

"Hey." He said but he made no move to back up from her and even as tipsy as she was she noticed he was just as bad as she was.

They weren't sloppy drunk, just tipsy and happy.

"Hey, yourself." She said as he put one arm up over her head and smiled.

"Looks like I finally got you just where I want you." He drawled as he looked down at her and she swore she felt her knees buckle.

She smiled at him looking down and then back up again, blue eyes on blue eyes.

She ran her hands up his chest until she had his shirt collar in her hands. She knew she shouldn't do this but, her brain just said fuck it. She pulled him close to her and she kissed him softly. The music playing in the back ground.

"Today love smiled on me, it took away my pain said please." Rang through the speakers of the bar and through her ears.

That was all the invitation he needed and he was kissing her back, his hand traveling down her back and his hips moving to get closer to her. His tongue sliding along her lips until she granted him access. He tasted like whiskey and every dark desire she could ever want or need.

She felt totally engulfed by him, like she knew it would be. Too much and not enough all at the same time.

She brought her hands up to rake through his hair and he shivered. She would never have acted like this if she hadn't had a few drinks, but she didn't really care.

He felt her foot against his leg tipping him forward towards her more and he had to stop. He pulled away his lips away from hers nipping at her bottom lip. She let out a sigh as he moved away from her and he took her hand.

"Come on." He took her hand.

He said pulling her down the hallway by the hand, her high heels clicking on the floor as she tried to keep up.

"Where are we going?"

"I need some air." He said busting through the back door of the bar.

They were outside in a second and he had his arms around her again as soon as they were out there. He leaned back against the wall pulling her up close.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and fuck you out here, I just didn't want an audience."

He kissed her again.

"Did I tell you I really like those shoes?"

 _ **A/N: Thank you everyone for reading. We hope you like it and will let us know what you think.**_


	6. Chapter 6

By Merle's standard the party was a huge success and suddenly he was feeling a whole different kind of celebratory.

"Baby, I'm still sober enough to fuck you into next week if you take me home now," Merle slurred into Tammy's neck.

He still couldn't believe these lines worked on her but they always did. He felt cheesy saying things like 'I want to make love to you' and he suspected she knew that. It was how he treated her that mattered most to her and she wasn't sensitive to crude language. He figured she must kinda like it cause she never complained and normally ended up jumping him. He had gotten lucky finding a woman like Tammy, although he fought it in the beginning. He figured she was too good for him with her fancy job as a social worker and the classy way she dressed. He was always dirty and spoke his mind, typically at a loud volume.

Merle notice Daryl leaning against the bar and talking to Carol, he was whispering something to her. Daryl was a good guy but he'd never had a real relationship in his life. It's not that he left women, it was more that he chose people who weren't looking to have relationships.

Merle didn't need him messing with Carol and potentially ruining his friendship with her or making her want to quit. She was finally smiling again and had stopped looking over her shoulder for Ed, she needed a man who was serious. As much as he thought of Daryl in other areas he wasn't serious about commitment.

"Let's go then if you still have it in you, my man," Tammy said, pulling him toward the exit.

He followed but craned his neck to have another look at Daryl and Carol but they had both disappeared from view.

Tammy led him out the door and into the evening air.

"What do you think of those two tonight?" he asked, as if she had any idea what he'd been thinking.

"Which two?" she said, walking him down the street with her arm around his waist.

"My brother and Carol."

She knew what he meant but wanted to keep it quiet until Carol figured it out for herself. Merle was so protective of Carol's safety after he found out she had been choked, he was also protective of her heart. Tammy loved that about him but Carol also needed space to figure out what she wanted and needed in life.

"It's probably nothing. At least Daryl isn't a stranger, she's safe enough talking to him."

"As long as it's just talk," he said, starting to sound a little more together.

"What's wrong with Daryl anyway?"

"He ain't the commitment type."

They arrived back at home in due course and she was feeling as frisky as he was now.

"You better still be up for this!" she teased, digging for her keys in her purse.

"You know it! You love sloppy, drunken sex don't cha'!"

She pulled him through the front door determined to get his mind off of Daryl and Carol and have a little fun in the process. They both kicked off their shoes and he smacked her bum playfully.

"Get in that room, you!"

She grinned and walked a few steps ahead of him but very slowly.

He nudged and poked at her back, trying to speed her up. Eventually he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"This isn't exactly a romantic way to carry a woman, Merle!"

"It's cave man romance, get used to it!"

He tossed her on the bed and kicked the door shut. He was going to take advantage of not having Daryl around, it was gonna get loud.

She looked up at him with giddy excitement. He was the best she'd ever had. Nobody would suspect him of being such a good lover, she was glad for that actually. Tammy was the jealous type and wouldn't take kindly to other women looking at him, he was hers. Carol was the only woman she trusted around him completely.

He took off his shirt and belt and crawled across the bed over her.

Pushing a thigh between hers, he took her mouth hard. He was huge and strong but she would never be intimidated by him in a million years, he was a teddy bear. He often took control in bed and she loved it.

Merle slid his arms up her body and held her hands over her head. She squealed in delight, this was her favorite.

He kissed her neck and licked her earlobe. His touch was so precise, he knew just what he was doing and it made her crazy.

She squirmed under him and his free hand made it's way to her breasts. He pulled her dress down and teased her nipple through her bra.

"You're so bad..." she hissed.

"I want you ready when I get there," he growled.

"Mmmmm..."

His hand holding her wrists above her head started to pinch her skin around her bracelet.

"Baby, you got my bracelet digging into my wrist up here."

"Sorry, darlin'," he said, letting go and taking her bracelet off her wrist. He rubbed at her skin and kissed it a few times.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...more..." she grinned and he pushed her arms back over her head kissing down her arms.

His hand trailed down her body and pulled her dress up to her waist. He bit at her throat and then next thing she knew he was slipping his hand into her underwear. She was already more than aroused and ready to go.

"Jesus...you really are ready."

"I'm always ready for you."

He teased her more and never let go of her wrists. His one big hand easily held her hands down and it made her so hot. He worked her into a frenzy the way he always did, ever since the first time he was all she ever wanted.

"So if I sit down over here will you take off that dress for me?"

"I'll do more than that."

He let her up and he sat back against the head of the bed, watching as she pushed it down her body and took her bra off. She turned her back to him and slid her panties down her legs, bending over at the waist.

"Damn it!" he hissed.

Tammy had wide hips and curves for days. Merle loved a woman with meat on her bones and she did it for him like nobody else.

"See something you want?" she smirked.

"Yeah, gimme that ass!" he said, as he stripped and tossed his clothes on the ground.

"Come and ride me, darlin'"

She crawled up his body on the bed and stopped to take care of him a little first. He was a sucker for the way she worked her mouth on him, it could make him forget his name. She looked up at him and she licked from the base all the way to the tip.

"Well, kiss my grits!" he exclaimed in a choked sounding voice.

She laughed and crept up to his lap to sink her body down on him.

It wouldn't take long, as drunk as he was. He reached forward and took her ass in both hands, squeezing and pulling her in closer. He buried his face in her ample breasts and growled like an animal.

She rode him just the way he liked and he did his job playing with her breasts. They had it down to an art at this point, it was comfortable but never boring.

She rolled her hips feeling it build as he pinched and sucked her nipples, it came creeping up and she let it loose.

"Jeeeeesus...fuckin'...Christ almighty!"

She always screamed blasphemy like a true heathen when she came and he loved it. He dragged his nails just hard enough down her back as she hit her peak and groaned in contentment.

He rolled her over and finished himself off thrusting into her like tomorrow would never come.

"You like that?" he panted.

"Yes baby, harder."

By this point in the relationship she knew just what he wanted to hear. He was a sucker for dirty talk just before he came and she often indulged him, and now was the perfect time with Daryl still out.

"You fuck me so goooood baby...harder..."

He grunted and groaned running his hands up and down her thighs.

"Cum for me, my man...do it baby!"

Just as she was expecting he came then, and in true Merle style, he collapsed and quickly slipped into a coma.

"Love you, Tammy."

She covered him with the blanket and held him close. He wasn't thinking of Daryl and Carol at all now.

##########################

"It's by invitation only, Sir."

The bouncer was going through this explanation for the third time and getting nowhere. Ed was stubborn as a goat and known to be volatile.

"I come here all the time, you know that."

"It doesn't matter, tonight it's booked for a private function. We can't make any exceptions."

"This is bullshit! I'm a regular."

"Give it a rest, Ed. Just come back tomorrow night."

Ed stomped off and slammed the door behind him. He stumbled out onto the evening streets, agitated and already half cut. He stopped at the far end of the alley to take a piss and found just what he was looking for. He'd seen her car out front and decided to try and see what she was up to. It could seem innocent for him to bump into her, this was his regular bar. She wasn't alone in this alley in the middle of the night. Her new man, looked big and strong and Ed knew he was too shitfaced to start anything. He'd wait till he could get the upper hand and make her listen. She had a nerve to walk around in a dress like that with a new boyfriend in a bar where everyone knew him. Now here she was screwing around in an alley, he always suspected her of being this kind of woman. If she was trying to make a joke out of him he'd have the last laugh. He continued on down the street, brooding and wound up.

Carol was lost in his touch and deep down she knew it would be the hardest thing in the world to let him go. His hands held her firmly against the wall and she could be easily talked into going further.

The kiss was more passionate than she'd ever experienced. Her hands lay on his lower back pulling him closer and then up through his hair. She didn't know where this was going and she didn't care, it was just something she needed more than she could explain to anyone.

Finally he backed up and looked into her eyes questioningly.

"What changed your mind?"

She thought about it for a half second before settling on the truth.

"I couldn't resist it, I had to kiss you. It's all I've thought about since the other day."

He held her face in his hand and kissed her neck for a moment. His breath on her shoulder felt so good, she wanted to take him home but knew it was a bad idea to jump the gun. At least she'd kissed him, she at least had this for now.

He whispered words into her ear and her toes curled with desire.

"I've been thinking of much more than kissing you."

His voice was a deep growl and it took everything she had to not rip his shirt open right there and beg him to fuck her against the brick wall. This man drove her out of her element with lust and she knew she'd end up in bed with him before too long, it was inevitable.

By the time cool heads prevailed she had agreed to go out with him on a proper date. He walked her home and she could see he was fighting himself to not ask to stay.

"Goodnight, Carol. I'm so glad you decided to give us a shot."

"Me too...goodnight, Daryl."

He kissed her once more and walked home on a cloud.


	7. Chapter 7

Carol had acquiesced and gave Daryl her cell phone number and he called her right there where they were standing in the alley so she would have his number. They were going out on Friday night and he told her to pick wherever she wanted to go and he would take her.

Also, don't tell Merle, like she would even do that. She knew Merle had warned him off more than once.

She went inside her apartment after he walked her home and leaned against the door. She felt like he was still outside, hoping she would open the door back up, but she didn't.

She went to bed and laid awake for some time thinking she had gotten herself into something she had no way to get out of. He was going away and she was wildly attracted to him, and that was not a good thing.

She hadn't felt that way in a long time though, so maybe she should just not overthink it. She could try that but it wasn't her.

Carol could ask Tammy but she didn't want to involve her, it wouldn't be fair to ask her to keep a secret from Merle.

She had no one to talk to about it and she felt so lonely. Carol was up late that night, thinking, overthinking and thinking some more.

Finally she fell asleep and slept until almost noon the next day.

####################

When she woke up and rolled over to grab her phone it was flashing a text message.

 _ **Good Morning Beautiful, I had a great time last night.**_

With a blue heart emoji. She smiled and rolled over onto her back. She texted him back.

 _ **Me too, I'm looking forward to Friday**_

 _ **Can I come over now?**_

She laughed and typed back.

 _ **Good things come to those who wait.**_

He typed back sad face emoji and that he couldn't wait till Friday.

 _ **Me either Daryl.**_

So it was on now, Daryl said to himself as he read her last message, smiling to himself. He would wait till Friday if that's what she wanted to do. Something told him that this girl really hadn't been treated well before. He aimed to change that.

The work week dragged but now they kept in touch via text and that was something that always made her smile. He texted her good morning every morning and good night every night.

Sometimes he would call her and they would talk for a while, when he was outside at night smoking. Carol hadn't had a friendship with a man before like this, they talked easily with each other about so many topics. It was like they knew each other for longer than just a week.

They liked a lot of the same things, the same books and music type.

At work he came in the office when he needed to and for coffee in the morning but they didn't act any differently towards each other. Especially when Merle was around.

She had a fairly good idea of how Friday night was going to end up, and there was one thing she bet Merle didn't know.

His brother was an unapologetic and outrageous flirt. As the week went on his texts became more and more risqué and listening to his voice on the phone made her wish he was there with her.

His voice made her feel things she hadn't felt in a long time and every day that got closer to Friday, she was filled with more and more anticipation.

####################

Daryl was like a wound up top by the time Friday came, he had been perusing her all week and trying to make her feel special. Because she was and he wanted her to know that, above all else. He liked her a lot and had from the very beginning.

But god damn he was hoping to get laid too.

########################################### 

On Friday night she went home from work and soaked in the tub listening to her favorite band, Sublime. They had agreed to go to a pretty fancy restaurant and she had actually bought another dress, a blue one this time. She had shopped for it alone at Andrea and Michonne's dress store and they had not steered her wrong.

No one knew they were going out together, because Merle would have had a shit fit of epic proportions. She wanted to tell Tammy but she didn't want to put her in a bad position. So she kept quiet and so did he.

Daryl walked up to her door and he could hear the music playing. Of course she liked Sublime, why was he even surprised to hear it coming out of her apartment. He smiled as he hummed the words to Badfish, _**'Two pints of booze, tell me are you a badfish too?'**_

He knocked on the door and she answered putting on her shoe, the ones he liked from the party. She got the shoe on and stood up to face him, giving him a wide bright smile.

"Hey." She said looking at him for a beat, he had on a white shirt and a tie and jeans, he looked good enough to eat. And he smelled divine, some kind of musk scent she knew from her teenage years. She didn't know people wore it anymore and it was swirling around in her brain now.

The smell of him was intoxicating. It was Kiel's musk she was sure of it now.

"Hey." He said as she opened the door more and let him in. "Badfish huh?"

Her eyes lit up. "You like Sublime?" As she walked over to grab her purse.

He looked at her, he didn't think it was possible but she looked even better than she did the other night. She had on those shoes too. Holy hell those fucking shoes. He had to think of something else besides getting her out of those shoes and that dress.

What were they talking about? Oh right, Sublime, she asked if he liked them which he did. She looked so hot he couldn't even remember who Sublime was right now. He quickly pulled himself together.

He nodded. "Course." He said giving her an award winning smile. She didn't notice his struggle right at the moment.

She grabbed her purse from the table and walked back over to him.

"One second Carol." He said looking at her his voice just a whisper. "I just want to look at you. You look amazing."

He looked at her with appreciative eyes and it just about melted her heart. She didn't know what came over her in that moment and later she swore it was the way he smelled.

"Speak for yourself." She said walking up to him with a smile on her face. 'Santeria' came on and she grabbed him by the tie, pulling him close to her and that was all the encouragement he needed. He was on her like lightning kissing her and walking her backwards towards the couch.

They reached the couch and she had kicked off her shoes by then, he sat down and she climbed right up into his lap. Her dress was hiked up around her waist almost and she didn't care, for once in her life she was going to do something crazy.

He ran his hands up her back and pulled her close to him and continued kissing her, and her hands were going up his shoulders and through his hair.

"Been wanting to do this all week." He said in between kisses and she nodded her head.

"Me too." She said kissing him again and again.

He deepened the kiss licking along her lips until she opened her mouth with a moan on her lips. He slid his tongue against hers for a second and then looked up at her.

"We're gonna miss our reservation." He said quietly, not wanting to break the spell between them, but wanting to be a gentleman.

"How does Chinese sound?" She leaned down and kissed him again. "Later."

He loosened his tie and dove in for another kiss.

"Sounds like just what I want."

 _ **All I really wanna know, I already know.**_

 _ **All I really wanna say I can't define.**_

 _ **It's love that I need.**_

He moved his lips down her neck, trailing wet kisses to her collarbone and she was moving on top of him now without abandon. He ran his hands over the front of her dress and she threw her head back letting out a moan that made him bury his face in her chest as she came back towards him.

"Carol, you sure?"

He asked, but she was already unbuckling his pants and pulling at his tie frantically. He supposed that was as good an answer as any.

"I'm sure, I'm sure." She said standing up and pulling at his shirt until it was off of him and she got back on his lap. "Been a long time for me."

She couldn't believe how forward she was being, there was something about him.

She kissed him again and this time he let out a groan as she went for the buckle of his pants and started unzipping them.

"Me too, a really long time." He said as she was standing up so he could get his pants down, He got bold and reached under her dress and slid her underwear down her legs slowly, his hands lingering on her skin.

A trail of goosebumps erupted along the path of his fingers and she shuddered. His touch lit her on fire, just like she thought it would.

He pulled her to him as she was still standing and his face was between her thighs, he breathed her in. His brother was going to be livid when he found out about this. He could almost hear Merle saying 'Don't you bother that girl, she don't need your bullshit.'

The problem was, his dick was also talking to him and he was listening. to his dick at the moment.

She got back in his lap and he looked at her.

"Wait, Carol I can….." He said but she only shook her head and in one motion she had him inside her. They both let out noise as she took him all the way. He pulled her close and kissed her hot and dirty now, no more fucking around.

They had been fucking around for two weeks now. That was done.

She moved slightly and then again. He put his hands on her hips and started moving her more and she leaned down and kissed him. Her hips moving more and more until he thought for sure he would lose his mind. She was incredible, and not just because she was fucking him on her couch right now.

But that was fucking awesome too.

"I'm never gonna be able to keep my hands off of you at work now." He groaned.

"You'll find a way." She laughed

"We'll see who can't keep away from who." He said as he reached down between her legs and stroked his thumb over her. He wanted her to come all over his dick, to feel her pulsating around him.

He rubbed her faster and faster while she worked her hips against his. He wanted this bad, he needed it.

She arched her back and leaned back, still pumping her hips up and down in his lap. He didn't stop and she felt sweat breaking out all over her skin, she was not usually loud in bed. But this time she couldn't help it.

"Oh oh my God." She cried. "Oh, oh Daryl…"

"That's it Carol, come on." He whispered hotly in her ear. "Come all over me, come on my sweet girl."

She felt her body getting overheated, tingling and the delightful pull in her stomach. It was going to happen soon, he was taking her over the edge of the cliff.

His words just driving her closer and closer and closer until she couldn't hold back any longer. She buried her face in his shoulder.

'Oh my god, I'm coming…." And her voice trailed off as she gave herself over totally to the feeling, inhaling his scent and falling apart on his lap. She kept moving her hips through her orgasm and pulled him right over into oblivion after her. He held her hips in place and came screaming out her name.

He held her tight against him for a moment and then moved her so he could see her face, He pushed the hair out of her face and smiled at her.

"This is one hellova first date."

################################################

True to her word, Carol ordered Chinese food and they ate it in her bed watching TV. She felt comfortable with him which was a strange but good feeling. He made her laugh and he had been doing that all week.

She laughed when he said 'Merle would probably cut his dick off if he found out about this' and she countered with 'Merle would have to answer to her if he did, because she really liked his dick'

And then she blushed so deeply because that wasn't something she would have ever said. He brought out something in her that was thrilling and different.

It was also scary. Because in the back of her mind she knew this could never be more than what it was.

A fling, because he was leaving.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: We love you all thank you for all the sweet reviews, we might have to do this again.**_

Daryl got home early enough on a Saturday that Merle was still in bed. Hiding this kind of thing from him still seemed a little silly at his age but Carol really wanted to keep it between them for now.

Falling asleep in her arms had been unexpected. He felt like he was home for the first time in years. He really didn't know her and he couldn't pinpoint what made this so different from a normal night of sex, it was just her.

He had a quick shower and made some coffee that didn't hold a candle to hers.

"Where the hell were you last night?"

Merle came wandering out into the kitchen sounding like a concerned father.

He hadn't even thought of an excuse, he wasn't used to having to explain his whereabouts to people.

"I uh...had a date."

"With who?"

"I met her online."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, so?"

He took his coffee into the living room and turned on the TV hoping Merle would drop it.

"So you just met some woman online and fucked her on the first date?"

"Why are you so concerned what I do with my own dick, Merle?"

"Yeah, I guess that sounds like you."

Daryl respected his brother but being interrogated about his sex life was not something he was willing to tolerate.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe you should start taking life seriously, Daryl. I don't see what you get out of that kind of life."

"Pfft!" Daryl answered, taking a sip of his mediocre coffee.

If only Merle knew he was well on his way to falling for Carol. He wanted to be with her right now in fact. The thought of going back to the guard didn't sound very appealing now but he didn't know yet how she saw this playing out. He'd have to show her he had something to offer her long term.

Carol needed air. It was Saturday morning and she ate a light breakfast in front of the computer. She could still feel his touch all over her and smell him on her pillows. He was only meant to lie down for a bit but they had fallen asleep holding each other and barely moved all night. He was the one she wanted and she knew it but she'd have to wrap her heart and head around the idea that she couldn't keep him. If only she'd been able to resist him but it was pointless to try. She needed to kiss him and touch him like she needed air.

She threw on her sweats and her music to go for a run. The park near her house was always quiet in the mornings and she would occasionally see squirrels or pretty songbirds. It kept her feeling connected to reality to run, it cleared her mind of all the clutter in life. She had a quick stretch on the front steps of her apartment and started to jog across the quiet road to the green space she craved. The first few minutes were always a drag until her blood started to flow and the music kicked in and spurred her on.

Carol took her regular route and didn't see a soul for twenty minutes until something caught her eye on the path ahead.

At first she was sure she was imagining it but she stopped dead in her tracks and stopped breathing.

Ed walked to the middle of the path and stood there waiting for her.

She took her headphones off and panicked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to tell you something."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Who the hell do you think you are, Carol?"

"What are you talking about?" she countered. He sounded delusional.

"Acting like a tramp in my favorite bar and fucking strange men in back alleys. I knew you were a whore and you just proved me right."

Her blood ran cold and she took out her phone to call for help.

"How do you know-" she began.

"Saw it, with my own two eyes, Carol. Keep it up and we'll have a problem, you and I."

She wanted to be a smart mouth, she wanted to tell him to go fuck himself and leave her alone but she was scared. She didn't like to admit it to herself but she was alone, well off the path in the park, only feet from a man who had choked her half to death. She wondered briefly if he had a weapon or planned to kill her.

She tried to think of anything to say to diffuse the situation but nothing came to mind.

"If you're gonna be slut, do it somewhere else. I don't need all my buddies knowing what kind of trash I used to be married to. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

She wanted to kick herself for the way she was forced to respond but what could she do?

She could feel herself starting to shiver inside and he finally turned to walk away. When she was sure he was gone she sank to the grass and sobbed into her hands. She would never be free of him. She thought is was over and here he was holding her down again. He was like a nightmare, invading every dream she had for the future. She shuddered when she imagined him watching her with Daryl the night of the party.

Carol made it home in a complete fog and locked her door, adding the chain as well which she rarely did. Her phone buzzed and she jumped out of her skin and wanted to cry over how terrified he'd made her.

~ I'm thinking of you.

Daryl didn't need this, how could she tell him about this. Carol felt like dragging him into this drama would push him away and surely he only wanted a fling anyway. How could he really want more when he wouldn't be staying? She gathered herself and texted back.

~ I'm thinking of you too:)

She felt trapped in her home like the outside was all potential Ed encounters so she stayed in and watched TV for the day. He was ruining her life, even now.

Eventually she decided she had to tell someone, someone who would still be here in a few months. By suppertime she resorted to calling her surrogate brother.

"Merle?"

"Hey there, sweetheart. What's up?"

"Something happened this morning...Ed confronted me in the park."

"What? Did you call the police?"

"No. I just want you to know in case anything happens or he comes back."

"So you're just going to wait until he hurts you?"

"What do I do then?"

"At least report it to the police, Carol. I'll pick you up and drive you there."

"Please keep this between us, Merle. Promise me you won't tell anyone and I'll go to the police with you."

She didn't want Daryl having to think of this, it wasn't his problem.

"Who would I tell?"

"Anyone at work, or Tammy or Daryl."

She was trying to be discreet, maybe Merle would never have to know about the tryst between her and Daryl if he was going to be leaving anyway. It felt like a tangled web of lies already and she could see it falling apart at some point but didn't know what else to do.

He arrived at her door and she looked through the peephole at him. When she opened it he took her in a bear hug that she needed so bad but didn't realize until it happened. She needed Merle so badly and felt like admitting to what was happening with Daryl would disappoint him.

Merle held her tight and rubbed her back with his big hands. Before she could stop it she was weeping into his shirt.

"It's OK, honey...it's OK...I'm not gonna let anything happen to you...shhhhh..."

His deep, gravely voice calmed her and she felt safer already, she trusted Merle with her life.

When she regained her composure Merle took her to the police station to report the incident and they gave her some advice on safety and advised her to file for a restraining order, which she did. It wouldn't go into effect right away as it needed a judge's approval but soon he wouldn't be allowed to come near her.

She felt a little calmer and now that it was handled, Daryl wouldn't have to know.


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday afternoon Carol was still on her couch watching TV, her weekend ruined by Ed. She knew this was what he wanted and she hated herself for giving in to it but she was still scared. At home there was no one to protect her, and if she stepped outside alone she felt so vulnerable.

At least at work there were any number of big guys who would take care of Ed for her.

But she didn't want that to happen, she still felt weird now because of Daryl, anything more would just embarrass her too much.

She hoped Merle's threat to Ed, months ago would still put fear in him and now the restraining order would give her double protection, she hoped.

He phone buzzed and she jumped, thinking about Ed made her jumpy as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She needn't have worried, it was a text from Daryl. She smiled even though she didn't want to.

 _ **What are you doing?**_

 _ **Watching Supernatural.**_

 _ **Which episode?**_

 _ **The one where Balthazar unsinks the Titanic because of the song.**_

 ** _Love that one._**

 _ **Me too.**_

 _ **When can I see you again?**_

 _ **Tomorrow at work?**_

 _ **Not really what I meant**_

 _ **I don't think it's a good idea.**_

 ** _Please, tomorrow night?_**

 ** _I have book club._**

 ** _Tuesday, we can actually go out this time. I wont keep you out too late, promise._**

He made her smile, he always did.

 ** _Ok Tuesday._**

Merle walked into the room as Daryl was texting Carol and pushed his glasses up on his nose. What was he up to?

"Whatcha doing baby bro." Merle said walking to the couch where Daryl was laying grinning like an idiot at his phone.

"Nothing." Daryl replied.

"Texting your little fuckbuddy huh?" Merle said.

"Can it Merle." Daryl said putting his phone down on a table that was in front of the couch. Merle looked at the phone contemplating grabbing for it just to mess with him.

He reached for the phone but Daryl was too quick.

"Come on brother, what's her name?"

Daryl made sure his phone was locked and put it on the couch next to him. Merle was slick, but he was slicker.

"What's it to ya?"

"Wondering if I know her is all, you know before I got with Tammy I got around a bit." Merle said.

Well Daryl didn't know what to say to that because Merle most certainly knew her and he really didn't want to lie, so he settled for the sin of omission.

"I doubt you've fucked her, don't worry." Daryl said wincing, because that was not a thought he wanted in his head at all.

He shook his head trying to think of something else when Merle spoke again.

"Well, I hope you're wrapping your dick up at least, some of these diseases now, you keep them forever, like luggage." He cackled to himself.

"You're pretty worried about my dick these day brother." Daryl grumbled.

"Just concerned is all, you ever get tired of that life, going from place to place, never settling down anywhere."

Daryl nodded. "Sometimes."

"Well, you been eligible to take half retirement for years, you could come work for me."

Interesting, Daryl thought, seeing Carol every day would be nice. He shook his head, what was he thinking?

"I dunno Merle, don't know if I even know how to stay in one place anymore."

"You should think about it." Merle said walking back into the kitchen.

/

Monday morning Merle drove him and Daryl in to work and as usual Carol was there early making coffee for everyone. Merle noticed right off the bat that she was a little nervous. He'd like ten minutes alone with that douche Ed, he would make sure he never came near her again.

"Mornin Darlin." Merle said to her and she replied to him.

"Mornin Carol." Daryl said tipping the baseball cap he wore and when Merle wasn't looking he winked at her, causing her to blush deeply.

He smiled at that, she got embarrassed so easily around the office anyway. He sat down in the chair in front of Carol's desk, so he was between her and Merle.

Carol busied herself with the coffee and Merle was grabbing some plans off his desk and stuffing them into a tube holder as he sat down at his desk.

She handed them each a cup of coffee and they each took a grateful sip.

"Hope you had a good weekend Carol." Merle said as she sat down at her desk.

She nodded not meeting either one of their eyes, each for different reasons, because she was holding a secret with each brother that had to be kept from the other.

"It was fine. How was yours Merle?" She said.

"Just fine, but we got to get back at it now, weekends go so fast." Merle said looking towards the door. "Story of my life."

"Yes, fine." Daryl said clearing his throat and Carol shot him a look behind Merle's back. "My weekend was fine too."

"Yeah good for you brother." Merle said trying to hide his irritation. "Sugar is Glenn in yet, I need to talk to him."

"I thought I saw him over by the garage." Daryl said.

Merle stood up, taking the plan tube and headed to the door.

"Come on Daryl, times wastin." He said as he walked out the door.

"I just need a…lid for my coffee." He said looking over at Carol.

"Hurry up dammitt, I aint got time today." He called from outside.

Daryl was out of his chair as soon as Merle was outside and leaning over her desk right in her face.

"We still on tomorrow night?" He purred at her, staring right into her eyes. His voice sounded like a wet dream.

She didn't know what else to do but nod at him.

He leaned over and kissed her soft and quick as Merle was yelling for him to 'get out here now.'

"Six ok with you?'" He asked.

"Sure." She answered absentmindedly because right now she couldn't believe him.

"You got that lid for me?"

She turned around and reached on the shelf for the lid and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He smiled at her and kissed her again.

"Stop." She hissed. "He's right out there." She pushed his hands away from her but he continued to lean over her desk.

"I'll see you later Carol." He drawled.

He said, his voice full of dark promises, and he walked out to catch up with Merle.

/

By Tuesday afternoon Carol was ready to jump out of her chair every time the door opened. Daryl was all up in her space every time they were alone. He didn't even have to be there half the time, he just came waltzing in like he owned the place.

He was an outrageous flirt, she already knew that and he didn't let up until she was blushing every time. Then he would say things like "I know you aren't this shy." And give her that lazy shy grin that she loved.

Between the flirting with her and the eye fucking he had her on edge with worry that Merle was going to notice something different. He was careful when Merle was around, but when they were alone it was a whole different thing.

On Tuesday morning they were having the usual morning coffee, because it had become a ritual that Merle and Daryl came to get coffee before work. Daryl was staring at her and she couldn't figure out why. She had on her favorite green shirt and it did look good.

He was staring at her big time, and before she knew it Merle had smacked Daryl in the back of the head.

"Hey, eyes over here, think we discussed this already."

Daryl was sitting next to Merle and he just grinned at her. He must have liked the green shirt.

And he was texting her, often, so when he texted her at lunchtime she smiled, like she always did.

I can't wait till tonight.

Me either.

We're going to have a good time.

I know.

Send me a picture of your boobs.

What? Daryl? LOL

Come on please.

I'll see you tonight.

Xx

Xx

He rang her doorbell at exactly six pm. And she was a little nervous, because they never made it out to dinner the last time. She bought a new dress anyway, green at Andrea and Michonne's place. He had on another dress shirt, tie and jeans on and he looked just as good as last weekend.

"Ya ready." He asked and she nodded.

"Yes." She answered too quickly and he took her hand.

"Come on." He said leading her out the door. "Before we end up on that couch again and I'm hungry."

"Sweetalker." She said laughing.

He took her to the restaurant in his vintage green Jaguar, a 1992 xj6 and explained along the way that he kept it at Merle's under a tarp in the back yard. She had seen the tarp lots of times at Merle's but had assumed it was Merle's car.

The restaurant was one of the fanciest in town and the food was great. Daryl shared his food with her.

This was a much better date than the one with Joe from the book club. She also had a feeling that this date was going to end up better than that one.

They talked about work and he told her about the Guard and why he loved the sea so much. He had built his car with Merle when he was younger and her father had been a mechanic so she understood what he was talking about.

They walked back to her door and she leaned against it as he put his arm over her head.

"Are ya going to invite me in?" He said and his eyes were twinkling.

"We have work in the morning…"

"Promise not to keep you up too late." And he grinned at her reaching to the stray hair that was hanging over her face and pushed it behind her ear.

Then he was kissing her and it was a done deal. He was the best kisser she had ever had and he made her knees turn to jello.

They went inside and he pulled her close to him, this kiss was hot and dirty and her heart almost burst out of her chest.

Daryl walked her backwards towards the hall way as he took off his tie and dropped it on the floor. They stopped in the hall way to kiss again and he unbuttoned his shirt and then top of her dress. They got to her room and opened her bedroom door.

She let out a laugh and then he was kissing her again as they landed on the bed.

"You are so beautiful." He said to her as he was shrugging off his shirt. "This time we take it nice and slow."

She breathed in a quick breath as his hands came up her dress, over her breasts and he leaned down to kiss her again. His hands found their way into the top of her dress and over her nipples and they both moaned.

"I don't have much luck with this kind of thing." She said softly.

"Well, your luck is about to change Carol." He said and then he kissed down her neck and unbuttoned her dress the rest of the way.

She drove him half out of his mind because she was so responsive to him. He had been with women who were not, but she was all over the bed. She moved and with every move it built up his desire for her.

They both came up on their knees and he continued unbuttoning her dress, never breaking eye contact. Carol went for his belt buckle and started to undo it and unzip his jeans.

He slid her dress off and brought his hands back to her breasts reaching into her bra to swipe his fingers over her.

She threw her head back and let out a cry of delight, and he almost lost his shit right there.

Then his lips were on her and his hands were unhooking her bra. He thought again as she was sighing in his arms that she was different. She was different than anyone he had ever been with before.

He brought his hands back to her hips and pulled her closer and she was flush up against him. It felt so damn good, and her hands were traveling down to his ass now.

He stopped her and laid her down gently and was down by her feet in a minute, lifting her leg so he could kiss her ankle. She giggled and then he licked her inner lower leg and her breath got caught in her chest.

He grinned down at her and said. "Told ya, this time's gonna be real slow."

He kissed up her leg and smiled against her skin as her breathing got heavier.

"Wait, Daryl you don't have to…" She said reaching to pull him up closer. While she was trying to pull him up he was sliding her underwear down and easing her knees apart.

"Oh, but I want to." He said leaning down to lick her with the flat of his tongue and she almost came up off the bed. "This is the best part."

"Oh Jesus…." She gripped the sheet in her hands on either side of her and he did it again. "Oh my God."

Then he added his fingers along with his tongue and she was gone. He was taking his time with her and driving her out of her mind. Just like he said he was going to do.

Her legs were shaking and she was rolling her head back and forth mumbling to herself when he slid his finger inside her and then another. Then he brought his lips back to her swirled his tongue around her until her legs started to tremble.

She felt it, the out of your head feeling that was over taking her. The burn throughout her body that was building like a wave and it was crashing over her. She was swallowed up in it and everything went white, then black and then she saw stars.

She started to come and she couldn't stop herself from screaming out loud. "Oh holy shit, Oh my God….Daryl, Oh my God…"

Then she was pulling him forward yanking at his pants to get them off and get him inside her as soon as possible. They finally got them off and tossed them on the floor and then he was inside her.

He pulled her legs up and she wrapped them around his waist.

He wasn't going to last long his dick had been leaking the whole time he was going down on her. He kissed her like she was the last drink of water on earth and he had been in the desert for years.

She met each thrust of his hips in a frenzy, the sweat on both of them was dripping down onto the bed.

He whispered things in her ear that made her blood boil, dirty things that threw her over the edge again and this time he went with her.

They collapsed in a sweaty heap together in the middle of her bed and he reached for the blanket and pulled it over them.

"God damn Carol." He kissed her and ran his fingers over her forehead to push her hair back. 'You're fuckin amazing."

/

They over slept the next day and both of them had to run out the door in a hurry, she made him coffee though.


	10. Chapter 10

Work was so nice with him around but he was definitely a trouble maker. They had nearly been late the other day an both had to drive like speed demons to make it in on time after he had slept over. That was a close call and she wasn't interested in any more.

Daryl kept texting her dirty little messages and she loved it but it was very distracting.

More and more she hoped things would settle down on the Ed front. She was still paranoid and looking over her shoulder all the time. The thing was Merle was checking in on her a lot as well lately.

"Hun, this guy is bad news so be careful about going to the park alone. Take your phone and run when it's light outside, just like the cop told you."

"I am, Merle. I'll be careful. I just hate changing my whole life for him but he scares the shit out of me."

"I can see why, the guy's a lunatic. I wish you didn't live alone."

"Me too, but it is what it is."

When Daryl walked in the office he stood up and wandered out the door. Merle was as good as his word and told nobody about it, even Tammy. Daryl came and sat down for his coffee break.

"What cha doin'?" he asked in a cheeky tone she had come to recognize.

"Daryl, you're an absolute menace."

She said this grinning and he knew she loved it despite her phoney complaints.

"I just had a thought about some mischief we could get up to with that skirt of yours."

"Here? Cut it out, you!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

He saw this as incitement and came to sit next to her. She had to admit it was nice to have him keeping her mind off her problems with Ed.

"Can I spend my coffee break under your desk while you work?"

She looked at him like he'd lost it.

Daryl was really only joking but he loved that he was getting to her. She picked up a stack of business cards and started flipping through them looking for a particular one.

"Come on, you trying to tell me you don't want me to go down there and make you feel good?"

"With Merle around? No," she laughed.

Just then she dropped the business cards and they scattered under the desk, all over the place.

"Damn it!" she hissed, he was making her nervous and horny as hell. She knew the fun he could give her with his mouth, it wasn't hard to imagine.

"I got it," he said, ducking down at her feet and handing them to her one at a time. The old, huge, metal desk she had looked like it had come from the 1970's. The front was completely solid and he looked ridiculous tucked under there at her feet grinning up in her direction.

"You comfortable in there?"

"Yep," he answered from his cubby hole.

She took one after the other and he looked up at her from the ground. The look he gave her said he was as naughty as they come. When he bent down to grab the last one his mouth touched her inner ankle and she froze.

Her body stiffened and her breath caught in her throat.

She took a deep, slow breath and waited for him to come back up. She had to stop him before Merle came in but it felt so good. Daryl continued to lick at her ankle and held onto her calf.

Just then she heard Merle fighting with the door to get it.

"Stay put! It's Merle!" she whispered, frantically. There was absolutely no story for him being under there that would sound believable.

Daryl ducked under the desk and curled up at her feet, grinning like a fool. This was like a scene from a goofy sitcom. She was more scared of his brother finding out than he was.

"Hey, there darlin'. I need some phone numbers and email addresses from ya."

"No problem, which ones?"

He handed her his phone and a list of the ones he needed.

"Could you be a doll and just program these ones into my phone? I'm sick of trying to memorize them and it takes me forever to do this."

"Sure."

Daryl couldn't resist the temptation to kiss her ankle again and he felt her stiffen. Her leg jerked under the table. She was wearing a skirt, what did she expect him to do?  
His hand moved slowly up to her knee and she cleared her throat. She pressed her legs together firmly and he saw it as a challenge.

He continued up her leg as she made small talk with Merle overhead.

His mouth reached her knee and his warm hands ran up the outside of her thighs.

She tried to concentrate on the numbers and Merle talking and the demon under her desk simultaneously.

"I told Tammy if she gets that horrible gluten free shit again, I'm moving out!"

"Uh huh, I hear it's pretty...bad," she answered, trying like hell not to open her legs.

His warm tongue licked at the her knee and his hands started to pull her legs apart.

 _ **Damn it!**_

"Why can't she just stick to normal food? Every other day it's vegetarian this and low sodium that. Sorry, honey, it's a long list I know."

"No problem," she answered, unable to look him in the eye right now.

Daryl had gotten her legs apart and was pressing his cheek to her inner thigh. She could feel his facial hair running up her leg toward her underwear and his hand was already there. His fingers grazed over the crotch of her silk panties and she sighed heavily.

"What's up?" Merle asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just...kinda tired today."

"Staying up too late?"

"I must be."

Daryl slid his fingers under the material and found she was wet and slippery, it made him want to take her right there. This was stupid and reckless and the sexiest thing that he'd ever imagined.

He couldn't stay away. He pushed her legs even further apart and moved the pesky material to the side to taste her. Her leg came up and banged against the underside of the desk.

"What the hell?"

"My foot...it fell asleep. Just trying to wake it up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just about done here."

She was adding in the last 3 numbers and she couldn't hold off any longer.

Daryl's tongue was lapping at her wetness and his hands were holding her by the knees, spreading them wide.

Her head dropped for a second and she could just see the top of his hair down between her legs. By this point she couldn't resist sliding her bum to the edge of the chair for him to get better contact, she needed it now. It was beyond her control now.

She could try to hold back but it was useless. His wet lips rubbed against hers back and forth and then his tongue flicked at her rapidly. She was burning alive inside and couldn't make a single sound. She looked up at Merle with a panic filled expression. She couldn't cum right in front of him. Could she?

"You OK?"

"Yeah..."

Daryl pushed two fingers into her and she bit her lower lip trying to contain her orgasm and knowing she couldn't.

She had no choice anymore and let out a strange muffled half yawn/half whining sound.

She could feel herself contracting around his fingers deep inside her and she gritted her teeth. A few seconds passed and she got enough control to continue speaking to Merle.

"Wow, I couldn't tell if that was a yawn or a sneeze coming."

 ** _Nice save! I hope..._**

"Yeah I get that sometimes," he laughed, taking the phone back from her, "you're a life saver, Carol. This is gonna be a lot easier."

"Uh huh...no problem."

She smiled and watched him walk to the door.

"Make sure you get to bed earlier tonight, darlin'!"

"OK, Merle."

She was so lucky he had been in a hurry and not very observant.

The door closed and she pushed back from the desk and glared down at Daryl.

"You are so bad!"

"Hey, all I did was make you yawn...or was that a sneeze?"

###############

"That bitch!"

He read through the documents accusing him of harassing behavior and making threats. Who the hell did she think she was? Making him look like a fucking criminal in a city this size was not something he would stand for. She was making him take time off work to go to court for this shit. He paced the floor of his tiny apartment and the more he thought about her and her new man and now this, the angrier he got.

She had some fucking nerve. He'd have to give her a hell of scare to withdraw this bullshit restraining order. He knew she'd see it his way with the right persuasion and he knew right where she lived. He'd be damned if she'd make him stand in a court and answer to this kind of accusation.

 _ **A/N: Hope you enjoyed, Let us know what you think. As always thank you for reading.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: We took a few liberties with the rules of the Coast Guard because we want it our way. Hope you enjoy and let us know what you think.**_

Carol forgave Daryl for the under the desk antics he pulled and they both decided they needed to be more careful or Merle would find out and heads would roll. Namely Daryl's head would roll. So far so good, Merle questioned him, but didn't push it.

Maybe he suspected but he never said anything to either of them.

Tammy pretended she didn't know because she did not want to have secrets from Merle, she told him everything. So she just pretended and stayed in a bubble of ignorance so that she didn't have a secret to keep.

They had been seeing each other for about a month and a half on the sly and it was a Sunday morning. Usually they laid around on Sundays watching TV, eating and fooling around. Half the time they never even got dressed. It was way too familiar and comfortable for Carol. She didn't want to get her heart broken.

He was leaving, that was a fact and they needed to stop ignoring it. They had said things to each other in and out of bed. Things that you say to someone you are planning to be with long term.

She was getting used to being with him and that was scary. They spent many nights sitting out on her fire escape smoking and looking at the stars together. He told about navigating by the stars and about what his life was like at sea.

She told him about her marriage and that she was sometimes still afraid of her ex and he offered to help her learn to defend herself and assured her as long as he was around, she would be safe.

Carol had finally decided to talk about the elephant in the room that Sunday. The fact that he had to go back in two months, and the fact that she was going to miss him. They were sipping coffee in bed and there was a plate of pancakes between them that they were sharing.

"Maybe we should talk." She said sitting up in bed with her coffee cup.

He looked at her and she looked so sad. He knew she had changed her mind. He just knew it.

"I know, you're going to cut me loose, I get it." He said starting to get up, putting his coffee on the table next to the bed, because he felt like he should leave.

"What makes you think I, no Daryl, I wanted to talk about what happens when you go back. How long is each tour?" She said reaching for his arm.

He looked over at her and his eyes were soft and sad. "Eighteen months."

"No shore leave?" She wasn't liking the sound of this.

He shook his head. "I didn't sign yet, the final paperwork."

"Oh."

"I was supposed to this week but I rescheduled." Daryl said. "I'm allowed to reschedule one time, I never have before so I said what the hell, right?"

"Why?" Carol asked.

"I want more time with you, than just three months." He said. "I didn't know how to tell you."

She put her coffee cup down and crawled onto his lap.

"Can you get an extension of your leave at all?"

"It's possible, but I'm not sure." He said.

She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Just the fact that you want to makes me so happy."

He rolled over so that she was underneath him and kissed her.

"You make me so happy." He said in between kisses. "And to be honest, I didn't ever think that would happen for me."

/

Later that day they were getting ready to leave and go on a run together, which they had been doing sometimes on the weekends. They were heading to the door holding hands and when she opened the door Ed was standing there. He came barreling at them and through the door.

He was out of his mind crazy. The look on his face told them he was out for blood and would kill them both if he could.

Carol and Daryl didn't know he had been stalking them for a month, he had worked himself up into a rage over it.

"You fucking whore." He screamed.

She let out a squeak of fear and before she knew it he was trying to grab her, but Daryl was too quick. He had self-defense in the guard and Ed was no match for him.

In about two minutes he had him on the ground face down with his knee in his back. He leaned down to him.

"You just made a big mistake asshole." Daryl hissed at him. "Call the cops sweetheart."


	12. Chapter 12

Daryl was at the police station for a while afterward filling out a statement, he was happy to do it. With the restraining order and the fact that she had reported it last time surely they would see a pattern and finally stop him. He was just so glad that he had been there. When he imagined her trying to stop him alone and what he may have done to her, it made his resolve to stay so strong. He wanted to be there for her but not just to protect her from people like Ed.

He realized, sitting there, that he wanted to be the one she turned to after a bad day, the one to care for her when she was sick, he wanted all of that.

He had decided enough was enough and called Merle. When he showed up at the police station he looked livid, Daryl wasn't surprised.

"You wanna explain yourself?"

"I love her."

Merle shook his head and found he had nothing to say in return, what could he say? He never, in a million years, thought hear his brother use the L word.

"I know you think I'm just out for fun, I don't blame you. I thought that's what I was looking for too but she's the one, Merle."

"You better mean that, this isn't just some girl!"

"I know that. I get it. I know why you were looking out for her and why she is so important to you. She's different than anyone I ever met. I can look out for her now, and I won't let her down."

"You're gonna have to look out for her from a hell of a distance, Daryl."

"I'm not going."

"You're staying put?"

"Can I count on you for a job?"

Merle sighed heavily, of course he'd give him a permanent job.

"Sure."

Merle felt suddenly really glad to see his brother settling, he was ready to make a proper life for himself. He couldn't help believing him when he said he loved her.

"So where is she anyway?"

"An officer is taking her statement at her apartment. I'm gonna go talk to her now, tell her I want to stay."

"I'll drive you. Just don't mess this up, Daryl."

"I won't."

He knocked at her door and waited. A female officer came to the door and asked if he had finished giving his statement. She turned to Carol and sat back down to speak with her before leaving.

"We're done here, Ma'am. You'll be hearing from us within the next day. Are you OK to be left with him?"

The officer was speaking quietly and only to her with her arm around her shoulder.

"I'm fine. Thank you so much."

She still looked a little shaken, it made her home feel like a crime scene and broke the serenity it once held for her. She wondered if she'd ever stop seeing the image of Ed at her door, full of rage.

The officer left her card and stopped to have a word with Daryl.

"Are you going to be staying with her? She really shouldn't be alone until she feels completely comfortable."

"I'm staying, she won't be alone."

"Good. By the way, you handled that situation very well. Many men would have turned it into a very violent physical altercation. You showed restraint and control, it's admirable."

"Thank you."

"I'll leave you then, goodbye."

Carol looked up at him and shook her head.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't even start with that, this is not your fault."

"The last thing I wanted was to drag you into this. I didn't even want to tell you about it, never mind this."

"You didn't drag me into it, he did."

He sat next to her and held her close. He could feel the tension in her body, he hated for her to feel afraid. If he lived alone and had someone who wanted to hurt him he'd feel afraid too. Never knowing when they'd come back, if you'd be prepared or if they had a weapon. Her fear was 100% justified and anyone with half a brain would be scared too.

"This is a nightmare. I'm going to have to move, I don't think I'll ever feel right here again."

"Carol, I'm not going back to the guard. I want to stay with you."

She was initially happy to hear him say this and then realized he was throwing away a part of his life just to stay and protect her.

"You don't have to do that, Daryl."

"I know I don't, I want to."

"You can't change your plans over this. You have a career to go back to. This wasn't meant to last forever, remember? You can't stay here just to be my bodyguard, Daryl."

"I know what I want, Carol. I don't want to spend another night away from you. I don't want to stay cause I think you need me, it's cause I need you."

She imagined not having to say goodbye to him. She had been dreading it more and more as the days passed, trying to love him less as a form of self protection. She didn't want him to regret staying.

"Are you sure?"

"I've been gone most of my adult life, not bothering to even look for what I wanted. I found what I want now, I have no reason to go."

Carol couldn't deny she wanted him to stay more than anything else.

"I was thinking also that I'm sick of listening to my brother and Tammy at night. I know it's soon but maybe we could find a place of our own, together."

She looked up at him with a stunned expression.

"Really?"

"Too soon?" he asked.

"No...I'd love to."

########

"So, you been lying to me this whole time," Merle wanted to give her a hard time, at least for a minute.

"Merle, I just thought you'd be disappointed. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, Carol. I think I was a little overbearing, at least that was Tammy told me and I'm sure she's right. She usually is."

"I'm sorry, Merle. I hope you still want to look out for me, I'd miss it if you didn't."

"I always will but I'll back up a little bit and let you breath, how about that?"

She hugged him tight and didn't let go till he started to laugh.

"Alright, alright girl! Stop smotherin' me."

"You're the best big brother I never had, Merle."

"I know. So, when do you want us over at your new place?"

"6pm sharp."

"OK, see ya then."

Daryl found a little house to rent not far from Merle and Tammy. It wasn't ideal but he wanted to get her out of her apartment immediately and the house was available right away. Carol had just finished unpacking and wanted to have them over for dinner to smooth everything out.

Tammy grabbed Daryl's attention and got him alone in the hallway while Carol and Merle went into the kitchen.

"Do you have any idea how hard that information is to get from a woman without arrousing suspicion?"

"Nope," he answered.

"It's really hard. Here you go."

"Thanks."

Dinner was great and Carol knew now that everything would be fine with Merle. She valued his friendship more that most things in her life.

Daryl poured everyone a glass of wine and waited for everyone to turn and notice him standing up.

"So, I signed my release papers with the guard today and I'm a free man!"

Carol smiled widely, knowing he'd be staying with her and still hoping he'd be glad he made this decision in a year from now.

They were all glad to hear it was official and he'd be sticking around.

"I really don't want to be a free man though."

Carol wondered what an odd statement like that could mean. She looked at him strangely and took a sip of her wine.

He cleared his throat, nervously and got down on one knee. Merle's eyes were like saucers and his jaw dropped. Tammy closed his mouth for him and grinned.

"Carol, I know it hasn't been that long but I'm sure about you. I love you and I know I always will."

She looked so stunned that he started to doubt the whole thing for a second. Maybe he was really rushing this.

"You don't have to answer now if you aren't sure too but...will you marry me?"

"I'm sure. Of course, I'll marry you."

 ** _Thank God!_**

He grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. He was more sure of this than anything, he was through with looking and waiting he was ready to live and didn't want to waste another second.

"You knew about this?" Merle asked Tammy.

"He needed to know her ring size and I went to get is sized for him."

"Everyone's always keepin' me in the dark."

"Hey, you're a lot of fun in the dark."

Carol and Daryl seemed to forget they had company and kept kissing like they were all alone.

 ** _~The End~ Let us know what you think and thank you for reading. We love you._**


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